National Victims' Rights Week April 18 – 25, 2004

(Phoenix, Ariz. – April 16, 2004) Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard will join the Governor’s Office, Arizona state agencies, local police departments, criminal justice/victim advocacy agencies and the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission Office will join to commemorate National Victims’ Rights Week in various events throughout the week:

Sunday – April 18, 2004The Victim’s Rights Week Kick Off event will be held at Wesley Bolin Memorial Park in Phoenix. This event will honor crime victims, their families and the professionals and volunteers who serve them. Mr. Goddard will be joined by U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton, Arizona Corrections Department Director Dora Schriro, representatives from the Governor’s Office, Officer Jason Schechtler, and Supreme Court Justice Michael Ryan.

The event begins at 3:30 p.m., and will also feature a collection of books and teddy bears to donate to Parents of Murdered Children. New or gently used bears or books can be dropped off between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at Wesley Bolin Park.

Wednesday – April 21, 2004Attorney General Goddard will tour the Mesa Police Department’s Center Against Family Violence on April 21, 2004 at 10:30 a.m. Mr. Goddard will be accompanied on this tour by Dale Macpherson whose family recently used the services provided by the Center. Mr. Goddard will be accompanied by several members of the Mesa City Council on this tour.

Opened in 1996, the Center Against Family Violence is a multi-disciplinary agency that helps domestic violence and sexual assault victims through the justice system process in a non-threatening environment. It was the first such collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach in a comfortable setting in Arizona, and served as a model for other advocacy centers throughout the country.

Services provided at the Center include the Mesa Police Department, Office of Maricopa County Attorney, The Mesa Prosecutor, and Child Protective Services as well as forensic medical services, with a forensic medical doctor assigned to the Center through St. Joseph’s Medical Center.

Mr. Goddard’s tour will be open to the media, and will be available for interviews. Mr. MacPherson will also be available for interviews.